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Friday, April 19, 2013

Businessman, 59, ordered to drop his pants by airport staff to prove he had a hip replacement that set off metal detec

UK
Mail OnLine

Nigel Lloyd-Jones was asked to lower his underwear in front of two guards

Security workers wanted proof of hip replacement surgery scars

He warned staff his metal hip might set off detectors but was still taken aside

A businessman who was forced to remove his underwear by airport staff to prove he had hip replacement surgery has described the treatment as 'prehistoric'.Nigel Lloyd-Jones informed security officers at Birmingham Airport that his metal replacement hip was likely to set off metal detectors as he prepared to board a flight to Germany.But despite this Mr Lloyd, who was flying to visit a client on April 9, was taken to a room with two officers and asked to lower his trousers and his underpants so they could see the scar.

Nigel Lloyd-Jones from Cheltenham described security measures at Birmingham Airport as 'prehistoric' when he was asked to drop his pants to show a surgery scar

The 59-year-old, who runs a live events company, has taken 64 flights since his hip operation in November 2011 after a motorbike accident.This was the first time he had been asked to show his surgery scar.

‘It was clearly very uncomfortable for the security guards and very uncomfortable for me,’ said Mr Lloyd, who moved to Cheltenham five years ago.‘The thought of my 86-year-old mother or my 76-year-old aunt to be put through such an indignity beggars belief. 'No-one seems to be able to tell me why this now has to be a requirement when we have bodyscanners and other state-of-the-art screening technology.‘It's clearly come from a very senior level. What does it say about their faith in the technology?

Mr Lloyd-Jones said Birmingham Airport told him their security policy which involved him having to reveal surgery scars had been implemented in recent weeks

He added: ‘According to Birmingham Airport security this has only been implemented in the last three to four weeks and has been imposed after an external security review by representatives of the Department of Transport.

‘I would like to see these new surgery scar procedures published, so those who have gone through such operations can make up their own minds on whether they wish to travel via Birmingham.’

A spokesman for Birmingham Airport said: ‘Security is paramount at Birmingham Airport and all necessary security measures are implemented as and when required.‘On occasion it can become necessary for security officers to conduct additional search procedures.

‘This can include a private search or a body scanner search.‘Private searches are conducted by two security officers, of the same gender as the passenger, and every effort is made to undertake this procedure as sensitively as possible